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Friday, May 30, 2008

I remember sitting down and writing my first column for Tube Talk about last year’s season finale of Lost. My poor Charlie’s demise left me clamoring for the Kleenex and the last five minute flash-forward cliffhanger was enough to leave any Lost fan saying, “Huh?” I can’t say that last night’s finale was any different for me. I laughed, cried and screamed at the TV. A typical viewing of a Lost finale.

It was really cool how the episode started right where it ended last season. That jaw-dropping cliffy makes a lot more sense now after watching this season. Life off the island doesn’t seem too cheery for the Oceanic Six. Although, I would probably want to stay on land than have to face anymore black-smoke monsters or polar bears. Kate finally said the name of the person who Jack had the obituary of in the flash-forward: Jeremy Bentham. *crickets* Yeah, I had no idea who that was either. Imagine my confusion when it was revealed who it actually was.

The team up of our Losties with Ben and the Others was weird, and the big shootout was intense. I thought that Richard had killed the guy in charge of the island murdering spree. But apparently he has nine lives, like Patchy McPatch from last season. When he showed up alive and well and told Ben how he had the explosives on the freighter rigged so if he died the bomb would go off. Ben did what I would expect from any villain that is worthy of the title. He killed him anyway. Then, he delivered one of my favorite lines of the night when Locke told him he just killed everyone on the boat: “So.”

I really liked that we got to see some revisiting of old relationships from the show’s past. For instance, the Michael and Sun scene when she told him she was pregnant was sweet and had a nostalgic feel to it. The Walt and Hurley conversation was great, after I got over the initial shock of how much older Walt looked. Leave it to Hurley to say exactly what the viewers are thinking at the moment.

There were plenty of ‘Uh-oh’ moments, like when Juliet thanked Daniel for helping them get to safety. That look on Daniel’s face when he turned away left me with a feeling that didn’t bode well for the people on the beach. Since Juliet wasn’t part of the Oceanic Six I figured she stayed behind. I initially thought Sawyer wanted to stay on the island, but it turned out he made the sacrificial swan dive off the helicopter so it wouldn’t crash. Not before he whispered something in Kate’s ear and gave her a kiss goodbye. Skaters everywhere rejoice!

I got teary after Sawyer jumped out and of course when Sun saw the freighter explode with Jin still on it. That scene was completely heartbreaking. The only thing that would have made it even worse was if Desmond didn’t make it off the boat. I kept hoping that somehow his character would make it safely off the island to return next season. Thankfully, Desmond and Frank survived the helicopter crash along with the Oceanic Six. When they all saw a boat approaching them I had my own flashback to when Michael, Sawyer and Jin thought they were rescued and then the Others took Walt. But it wasn’t the others this time; instead it was finally Penny’s boat. The Desmond and Penny reunion was really touching. It was great to see them get a happy ending at least for now.

The big shocker of the night came during the last five minutes when we returned to the flash-forward. Jack went back to the funeral home where he spoke to Ben about how Jeremy told him that terrible things happened after they left the island. He also said that the six of them had to go back. Ben told Jack he’d help him round up the others, but he can’t leave behind Jeremy. Pan over to the open casket to reveal Locke is actually Jeremy Bentham. I hate cliffhangers and this one was worse than the “We have to go back” one from last season. Don’t get me wrong, I loved every minute of it. It’s just going to be a long summer until it returns.

Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Friday.

The Hurley Walt comment was funny--but keep in mind that 3 years had passed (not only in the "real world" but in LOST land as well) and a growth spurt during adolescence is not something out of the ordinary.

Now Tall Walt appearing while John Locke was in the Purge Pit last season was definitely odd. But maybe he time traveled from the future to urge John to get to work.